Younger Internet Users Willing to Hand Over Personal Information

Two-thirds of those ages 25 to 34 are willing to give up their info

Author: Ben Clague

April 19, 2017

Young internet users in the US are far more willing to share personal information with a favorite retailer than their older counterparts. Two-thirds of those ages 25 to 34 are willing—more than any other age group, according to a recent survey.

A fairly wide majority of internet users 18 to 44 told Retail Dive in February 2017 that they would be willing to share personal information with their favorite retailer.

Older users, however, were much, much less eager to divulge personal information, even to their favorite retailer.

The results align with studies suggesting that younger internet users are more likely to prefer personalized information. For instance, the ADI Summit Survey 2017 from Adobe Digital Insights, also conducted in February 2017, found that internet users ages 18 to 49 were far more likely to prefer personalized messaging, whereas older individuals were more nearly split on the matter.

The Retail Dive study also explored the different attitudes men and women have toward sharing information, and what they want to receive in exchange for it.

Male internet users were generally slightly more willing to offer information: Nearly five in 10 said they’d be willing, while 40% of female respondents said the same.

But although men were more willing to give up personal information, only one-third said they wanted personalized recommendations in exchange. Instead, the majority said they wanted discounts and special offers, as well as loyalty program points and rewards.

Women wanted those, too, but nearly 60% said they did want personalized recommendations crafted from their information.

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